• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.63-75
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• 2020

Objectives : Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease and osteoporosis fracture is the leading cause of decreased life. Bisphosphonate and selective estrogen receptor modulators are the best choice of treatment for osteoporosis. However, when used for a long time, they increase the probability of side effect such as osteonecrosis of the jaw. Thus, it is crucial to develop alternative medicine to treat osteoporosis. Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix, a herbal medicine, is mainly to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, the effect of the water extract of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix (w-GM) on osteoporosis has not been investigated. Thus, we examine whether w-GM can inhibit osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption on receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. In this study, RAW 264.7 cells were used as an osteoclast differentiation model by treating them with RANKL. Methods : RAW 264.7 cells were used to determine the effect of w-GM on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. The number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells, TRAP activity and pit formation assay were examined. In addition, protein expressions were measured by western blot and mRNA expressions were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results : Treatment with w-GM inhibited the number of TRAP-positive cells, TRAP activity and pit area. In addition, w-GM decreased protein expression such as mitogen-activated protein kinase, NF-κB, c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1). It also inhibited the mRNA levels such as c-Fos, NFATc1, TRAP, NF-κB, calcitonin receptor and cathepsin K in RANKL-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusions : These results suggest that w-GM has inhibitory effects via osteoclast differentiation, thus it could be a new medication for osteoporosis.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2016

The recovery of epididymal sperm in animals is considered as one of the important tools to preserve high value or endangered species. However, there are no appropriate castrating indicators such as months of age in bull, sperm morphology, and motility, particularly in young Korean native bull (Hanwoo). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate sperm number, morphology, and motility of sperm in the epididymis tail of young Hanwoo bulls at 8 and 15 months of age. After castration, epididymal tails were collected and minced with blades to recover sperm. In experiments 1 and 2, sperm number, morphology, and motility were examined. Total number of sperm and percentage of normal sperm from bulls at 8 months of age was lower than that of bulls at 15 months of age after collection (P<0.05). Percentage of abnormal head, tail, proximal cytoplasmic droplet, dead and damaged acrosome of sperm from bulls at 8 months of age were higher than those of bulls at 15 months of age (P<0.05). In experiment 3, sperm motility from bulls at 8 and 15 months of age were examined before freezing and after thawing. Frozen-thawed sperm at 8 months of age showed low total motility and motile sperm with ${\geq}25{\mu}m/sec$ compared to those at 15 months of age and commercially-used sperm (P<0.05). In conclusion, sperm derived from the epididymal tail of bulls at 8 months of age showed high abnormal morphology and poor motility, which are not adequate for AI and IVF. On the other hand, sperm derived from the epididymal tail of bulls at 15 months of age showed high normal morphology and motility.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2015

This study was conducted to provide the microanatomical information of the heart-kidney complex of Tegillarca granosa. The heart-kidney complex was located in the pericardial cavity between the dosal visceral mass and posterior adductor muscle. The heart composed of two atrium and one ventricle. The kidney composed of a pair of left and right. The atrium and ventricle of the heart were composed of the epicardium, myocardium and endocardium. The epicardium of simple epithelial layer composed of cuboidal epithelial cells that had a strong basophilic nucleus located in the center. The myocardium composed of muscle fiber bundles. The myocardium in ventricle was denser than in the atrium. The endocardium of simple epithelial layer composed of squamous epithelial cell that had a strong basophilic nucleus was located in the center. The endocardium thickness of the atrium was $6.04({\pm}2.26){\mu}m$, endocardium thickness of the atrium was $7.36({\pm}3.21){\mu}m$, and appeared to be thicker in the ventricle. The kidney composed of numerous renal tubules. The renal tubule of simple epithelial layer composed of columnar epithelial cell with nucleus located in the basal zone and a number of cytoplasmic granules. The developed striated border was the inner epidermis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1444-1448
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• 2008

Down-regulation of melanin synthesis is required for recovery of pigmentary disorders and it is well known that ${\alpha}$-MSH induced melanin synthesis and dendrite outgrowth on melanocytes. This study was conducted to evaluate the depigmenting properties of ethanol extract from a Lavandula vera. The ethanol extract from Lavandula vera inhibited melanin contents and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner, compared with untreated group. Treatment of the ethanol extract of Lavandula vera effectively suppressed the ${\alpha}$-MSH-stimulated melanin formation, tyrosinase activity and dendrite outgrowth. Moreover, the ${\alpha}$-MSH-induced mRNA expression of tyrosinase was significantly attenuated by Lavandula vera treatment. These results suggest that Lavandula vera exerts its depigmenting effects through the suppression of tyrosinase and cytoplasmic dendricity. And it may be a potent depigmetation agent in hyperpigmentation condition.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 1996

Through the previous studies(I,II), it was observed that human follicular fluid(HFF) was more effective than human fetal cord serum(HFCS) on promoting meiotic resumption of oocytes and improving embryonic development of mouse in vitro. On the basis of these results, we have gradually exchanged HFCS with HFF as protein supplement in human ART. This study was performed to investigate the efficiency of HFF on improving the pregnancy rate in ART. Oocytes were retrieved transvaginally from patients treated with pituitary suppression with GnRH-agonist and ovarian stimulation with human menopausal gonadotro-pin(HMG) and pure follicle stimulating hormone(FSH). Aspirated oocytes were rinsed and cultured in TCM-199 containing HFF, and the concentrations of HFF were adjusted to 10, 20, and 30% according to the use for insemination, embryo growth and embryo transfer, respectively. As possible as, we tried to do embryo transfer into fallopian tube to mimic the coincidence of the cell stage with the place of sojourn in vivo, so we performed various ART programs(IVF & ET; in vitro fertilization, ZIFT; zygote intra fallopian-tube transfer, ZIFT & ET) according to the tubal conditions of patients. On the while, intra cytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI) was used to assist IVF of the patients who had shown poor standard IVF results by immunological or severe male factor. Of the 255 cycles of ART programs using HFF as protein supplement, 118 cycles were turn out to be succeeded in pregnancy(46.2%, per cycle, p<0.05), while 21 pregnancies were achieved in the 69 cycles using HFCS(30.4%). The 255 cycles using HFF were subdivided into cycles with the type of ART programs, and each pregnancy rate of the ART programs were 44.7% (IVF & ET, 76/170 cycles), 53.4%(ZIFT, 31/58 cycles) and 40.7% (ZIFT & ET, 11/27 cycles), respectively. In the 61 ICSI cycles using HFF, 28 cycles succeed in pregnancy(45.9%), while 7 pregnancies were obtained in the 17 ICSI cycles using HFCS. Also the ongoing pregnancy rate in the group using HFF(78.8%, 93/118 cycles) was higher than that in the group using HFCS(61.9%). Therefore, we found that the use of HFF as protein supplement was more suitable and effective than the use of HFCS to improve the pregnancy rate in ART.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1996

There are a number of problems during the process of culture in vitro on fertilization and embryo development compared to those on in vivo counterparts. And the platelet activating factor (PAF), which is found not only in mammalian spermatozoa but also preembryos, is implicated on reproductive process. To improve the environment of culture on in vitro fertilization and embryo development, coculture using salpingeal epithelial cells has been considered to accept the better result on pregnancy rate. This study was designed to determine if two different culture systems, coculture alone and PAF treated coculture, are positive or negative influence on process of in vitro fertilization and embryo culture in mouse. The cell cleavage rate reached to 2-4 cell stage at 24 hours of culture is 56.81% (50/88) and 48.21%(54/112) respectively, in PAF treated group which is added PAF on coculture and in coculture group. But the rate of cells cleavage was similar in both group after 48 hours of culture. The rate of unfertilization after insemination of oocytes was higher in coculture group(55..53%) than in PAF treated group(42.37%). And in assessment of undeveped embryos, the rate of equalized cell block was similar on both, coculture alone (35.3%)and PAF treated coculture(35.5%). while unequalized cell block was higher rate in PAF treated coculture(19.4%) than coculture alone (11.8%). But the rate of cytoplasmic degeneration of undeveloped embryos was significantly higher in PAF treated coculture than coculture alone. In conclusion, we have observed that PAF treated coculture is superior in the rates of in vitro fertilization and early embryo cell cleavage compared to those in coculture alone, but there is no difference on the rates of embryo develpments, cell degeneration, cell quality in both PAF treated coculture and coculture alone when the embryo cells were continuosly cultured for 48 hours or more.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.199-207
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• 2001

Objective: The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of magnesium ion in the culture medium on the development of mouse fertilized oocytes either before or after pronuclear formation, and to investigate whether the effect of magnesium ion is related with the redistributional change of mitochondria. Methods : Fertilized oocytes obtained from the oviducts of mice at 15 hr after hCG injection before pronuclear formation (pre-PN) or 21 hr after hCG injection after pronuclear formation (post-PN) were used. The embryos were cultured for 3 days with basic T6 medium-magnesium free and various concentrations of magnesium ion, 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 or 8.0 mM, respectively. After culture, the developmental stages of embryos and the number of nuclei were evaluated. To observe the effects of magnesium ion on the mitochondrial distribution, fertilized oocytes were collected at 21 hr after hCG injection and cultured for 6 hr with various concentration of magnesium ion. As a control, fertilized oocytes with pronuclei at 27 hr after hCG injection were used. Results: The concentration of magnesium ion to accelerate the in vitro development of mouse fertilized oocytes appeared to be at 2.0 mM for the pre-PN and the post-PN stage embryos. In the mitochondrial redistribution patterns, the embryos cultured in 2.0 mM concentration of magnesium ion showed the highest percentage (22.6%) of distinct perinuclear clustering pattern comparing to other experimental group. Conclusion: The effect of magnesium ion may be related to the cytoplasmic redistribution of mitochondria. This relationship seems to connect the developmental competence of preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro. These results can suggest that higher concentration of magnesium ion (2.0 mM) than those of conventional culture medium ($0.2{\sim}1.2\;mM$) is more suitable for in vitro culture of preimplantation mouse embryos.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2005

This study was performed to analyze the sequence variation in mtDNA D-loop and their effects on milk and milk fat production in Holstein cows. The analyzed sequences were compared with previously published sequences from other cattle breeds (GenBank J01394). PCR was performed to amplify a total of 964 bp between nucleotide 15758 and 383 within D-loop region of mtDNA using specific primers. Thirty five polymorphic sites by nucleotide substitution were found in mtDNA. The frequencies of positions at 106, 169, 16057, 16231 and 16255 nt with high levels of sequence polymorphism were 0.090, 0.555, 0.055, 0.090 and 0.050, respectively. The substitution effect at 169 nt was found significant on milk production, and substitution effect at 16118, 16139 and 16302 nt was highly significant (p<0.1) on milk fat production. Polymorphism of mtDNA sequence in D-loop region might be useful for the analysis of cytoplasmic genetic variation and associations with the other economically important traits and maternal lineage analysis in Holstein cows.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2007

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces fat deposition in several mammalian species. The proposed mechanisms for this effect are reduced preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of diglyceride (DG), CLA, DG-CLA of proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Cell viability was determined using WST-8 analysis and cell differentiation was determined by glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity. Lipid accumulation in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells was measured by Oil red O staining. The proliferation of preconfluent 3T3-L1 cells by treatments of DG, CLA, and DG-CLA was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. CLA among them was the most effective in reduction of viable cells with increasing concentrations. Treatments of the DG, CLA, and DG-CLA at the concentration of $100{\cdot}\ddot{I}g/ml$ for 48h significantly inhibited differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells (p<0.05). In addition. cytoplasmic lipid accumulation during differentiation of the 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was also inhibited by treatments of the test solutions. DG-CLA was the most effective in the inhibition of differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. These results indicate that the DG including CLA as fatty acids is more effective for anti-obesity than DG or CLA alone and that consumption of DG-CLA as a dietary oil may give a benefit for controlling overweight in humans.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.55-67
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• 1997

The morphological development of lungs in fetuses of 60, 90 and 120 days of gestation and neonates of Korean native goats was investigated by light, scanning and transmission electron mictroscope. The results were summarized as follows ; 1. Gross findings ; In the 60-days-old fetus, the lung was developed and differentiated into six lobes. 2. Light microscopic findings : The gland-like bronchioles were formed in loose mesenchyme at 60 days of gestation and the bronchial wall contained smooth muscles. The loose mesenchyme had been replaced by compact parenchymal tissue at 90 days of gestation and the cartilage plates appeared in bronchial wall which contained blood vessels, submucosal glands and smooth muscles. The lung parenchyma consisted of a fine network of alveoli at 120 days of gestation and the bronchial wall contained well-developed blood vessels, submucosal glands, cartilage plates and smooth muscles. In neonates, the lung tissue was similar to the mature lung tissue and the bronchial wall contained well developed cartilage plates. 3. Scanning electron microscopic findings : The epithelial cells lining the tubules were composed of cuboidal or columnar at 60 days of gestation and the epithelial cells lining the large airways were often ciliated : some were covered with stubby microvilli. The epithelial cells lining the canals were cuboidal at 90 days of gestation and the epithelial cells lining the bronchioles were ciliated cells or nonciliated(clara) cells, The clara cells contained row microvilli. The alvealor development of this stage was rapidly progressed ; the subdivision of canals by alveolar crests and assosiated wall attenuation resulted alveoli at 120 days of gestation and the respiratory bronchioles were lined by ciliated or nonciliated epithelial cells. In neonates, the epithelial cells lining the alveolar walls were mainly covered with pneumocyte type I ; Some were covered with pneu-mocyte type II. 4. Transmission electron microscopic findings : The epithelial cells lining the tubules were adhered with tight junction at apical borders of the adjacent cells at 60 days of gestation, which contained few organells and glycogen. The epithelial cells lining the canals were composed mostly of cuboidal cell at 90 days of gestation and the epithelial cells lining of the bronchioles were ciliated of nonciliated cell, which contained few organelles and abundant glycogen. The epithelial cells lining the alveolar walls were composed of pneumocyte type I and a few pneumocyte type II at 120 days of gestation. The epithelial cells lining of the bronchioles were ciliated or nonciliated cells. In neonates, pneumocyte type I was observed as flat and thin cytoplasmic extension in shape. Otherwise, pneumocyte type II was observed as cuboidal type with apical microvilli and contained osmiophillic lamellar inclusion bodies. Putting these various experiment results together, the lung development was slowly progressed at early stage, which was rapidly progressed in the late stage of gestation.